Cab-signal and automatic stop.



NI. B. BULLA.

CAB SIGNAL AND AUTOMATIC STOP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5| |914.

Melbern Emilia I Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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il? SA MELBERN. BERNIE BULLA, EL PASO, TEXAS.

CAB-SIGNAL .AND AUTOMATIC STOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7', 1916.

Application ined November 5, 1914. serial Ne. 870,438.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MELBERN B. BULLA, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Cab-Signal and Automatic Stop, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to railway safety appliances and has particular reference to signals carried preferably within the locomotive cab.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a signal, preferably of an audible character, which is adapted to be sounded while the train is passing a certain point, say ve hundred or one thousand feet ahead of the point where a danger signal may be set, whereby the engineer will have his attention called to the fact that the danger point will soon be reached and will put him on the lookout to see whether the signal is set at danger or not.

A further object of the invention is to provide an audible signal apparatus in the engineers cab of such a nature as to be sounded at a certain point' along the line of travel, means being provided to cause the sounding apparatus to continue in action until the engineer stops the saine by touching a button or moving a switch, and which apparatus, if not stopped within a certain time, will operate to stop the train whether the danger signal is set or not.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section of a diagrammatic representation of a railway locomotive having my invention applied thereto and Fig. 2 is a detail of the vclock mechanism described below.

The several parts of this device maybe made of any suitable materials, and the relative sizes and proportions, as well as the general design of the mechanism, may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully described and specically claimed.

eferring more particularly to the drawing I show at 10 a brush made of metallic wires of any suitable nature supported upon a holder l1 adjacent one of the rails 12, the

upper ends of the brush wires extending preferably about two inches above the level of the tops of the rails. This brush has electric connection, shown at 13, with one of the rails.

At 14 I show a block or bracket carried by the tender truck or any other suitable part of the locomotive at a substantially fixed elevation above the rails and carrying a metal plate or shoe 15 made preferably of copper and insulated at 16 as shown. The copper plate 15 has a binding post 17 from which an insulated conductor 18 leads to and through a battery 19 of any suitable nature. A wire 2O connects the battery with an alarm bell 21 and said connector 2O leads thence through an automatic circuit closer 22 and thence to a binding post 23 forming a ground with the boiler or any other substantial part of the locomotive.

It being understood that the brush 10 is located at a sufficient distance ahead of any xed signal (not shown) to insure that the engineers attention will be called to the fact that he is approaching such signal and that the plate 15 is carried at such a position and elevation as to engage the brush, such contact will close a circuit through the main conductors 18 and 2O and cause the bell 2l to ring. This ringing of the bell will continue indefinitely after the brush is passed by virtue of the circuit closer 22'which continues the circuit then through the wire 24, a switch 25 being normally closed as shown in the drawing. The engineers attention being called to the ringing of the bell, he will operate the switch 25, breaking the connection at the automatic closer 22, and thereby stopping the bell.

This invention, furthermore, contemplates the stopping of the train automatically in the event of the carelessness or disability of the engineer to observe the warning made by the alarm bell and hence stop his train in the usual manner in case he sees a danger signal set ahead of him. The automatic stopping device includes a clock mechanism 26 in the branch circuit 211 and a magnet armature 26 which holds the clock stopped under normal conditions. When, however, the clock magnet is energized by the passage of the current through the circuit 24, the clock will start to run and will continue running until the circuit is broken in the manner above described.

At 27 I show a exible connection leadu ing from a rotating post 28 such, for instance, as the alarm post of the clock, other end of the connection 27 being attached to the lever 29 of a valve 30 normally closing the outlet branch 31 of the usual train air line 32 of the air brake system. By so timing the clock it may be caused to operate the Winding of the post 28 and hence' the shortening oi' the connection 27 after a lapse of, say, fifteen seconds or any other convenient period of time which would ordinarily be ample to have the engineer stop the alarm. I-Ience, if the circuit is broken promptly as contemplated by this invention, the valve 30 will be opened and the air will be discharged from the train line, causing the brakes to stop the train in a well known manner.

l. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a main electric circuit including a battery, means along the track to close the circuit adjacent the battery, a branch circuit connected with the main circuit on opposite sides of the battery, an audible signal, one connection between the main and branch circuits being an automatic circuit closer, the closing of the main circuit from the track serving to initiate the sounding of the audible signal and the action of the automatic circuit closer to con" nect the branch circuit to continue such audible signal afterit is initiated, clock mechanism in the branch circuit, said clock mechthe means to close a circuit at specified times to initiate the ringing of the bell, a branch circuit connecting the main circuit on opposite sides of the battery and bell, a circuit closer causing the current4 to pass through the branch circuit When the alarm bell ringing is initiated, clock mechanism locatedin the branch circuit including a rota-ting stem, a normally closed air cock, and connections between t-he air cock and the rotating stem whereby the air cock Will be opened at a predetermined time after the ringing of the bell is initiated. y

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MELBERN BERNIE BULLA.

I/Vitnesses F. E. HUNTER, J. II. ADAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

